Gaston arrest leads to administrative duty for Charlotte firefighter

Published: Monday, July 22, 2013 at 02:31 PM.

A firefighter with the Charlotte Fire Department that was jailed in Gaston County on assault and animal cruelty charges has been placed on paid administrative duty.

In a statement released by the Charlotte Fire Department’s spokesman Rob Brisley, Barfield will be on leave pending the outcome of the court proceedings.

“As the investigation is ongoing, I am unable to comment on the details of this case,” said Charlotte Fire Chief Jon Hannan. “However, I want our citizens’ to know we hold our firefighters to a high standard of conduct in order to maintain the trust and respect of our community.”

The strangulation, assault and communicating threats allegations are domestic violence charges because he and the woman he’s accused of hurting live at the same address.

Barfield is accused of dragging a woman around the house, choking her, punching her in the face and hitting her head against a dishwasher, causing a fractured wrist, a cut above her eye and another cut on her lip, Gaston County Police Officer G.S. Kendall wrote on a warrant affidavit. Some of that violence happened in front of a 2-year-old child, according to a warrant.

Barfield is accused of telling the woman that if she called police, she would be dead before they arrived, according an arrest warrant.

A firefighter with the Charlotte Fire Department that was jailed in Gaston County on assault and animal cruelty charges has been placed on paid administrative duty.

In a statement released by the Charlotte Fire Department’s spokesman Rob Brisley, Barfield will be on leave pending the outcome of the court proceedings.

“As the investigation is ongoing, I am unable to comment on the details of this case,” said Charlotte Fire Chief Jon Hannan. “However, I want our citizens’ to know we hold our firefighters to a high standard of conduct in order to maintain the trust and respect of our community.”

The strangulation, assault and communicating threats allegations are domestic violence charges because he and the woman he’s accused of hurting live at the same address.

Barfield is accused of dragging a woman around the house, choking her, punching her in the face and hitting her head against a dishwasher, causing a fractured wrist, a cut above her eye and another cut on her lip, Gaston County Police Officer G.S. Kendall wrote on a warrant affidavit. Some of that violence happened in front of a 2-year-old child, according to a warrant.

Barfield is accused of telling the woman that if she called police, she would be dead before they arrived, according an arrest warrant.

Kendall wrote in an affidavit that Barfield maliciously tortured and beat a 14-week-old kitten by choking it, throwing it against a wall, dunking it in the toilet numerous times, slamming the toilet seat on the cat’s head and kicking it across the yard as if punting a football.

Gaston County Police arrested Barfield early Saturday morning. He was booked into jail at 2:29 a.m. As of 6:44 p.m. Sunday, Barfield was being held without bond.

Barfield holds the rank of firefighter I with a salary of $46,978 and works at Fire Station 1. He was hired on Oct. 31, 2011.